Greenstein: Defending against a common enemy

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Milford Daily News

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Posted Jun. 24, 2014 at 2:57 AM

Posted Jun. 24, 2014 at 2:57 AM

» Social News

Even before the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948, Arabs attacked Jews in that land. Upon Israel's declaration of independence, Arab armies attacked Israel with genocidal intent. The new State of Israel won that war, but the saying that every Israeli is a front line soldier continues to be true due to attacks that have never stopped, e.g. most recently the kidnapping of three teenagers, the killing of another teenager in the Golan, and continuing rocket attacks. American sponsored peace talks have been repeatedly rebuffed despite Israel's unilateral gestures such as allowing Palestinian self-rule in designated areas, freeing prisoners, and withdrawals from disputed land.

Americans have been witness to all of this and have themselves been targeted by Middle Eastern militants. We understand that some groups and countries in the Middle East are profoundly hostile, not just to Israel, but to the United States. We have established the Department of Homeland Security, stationed troops in Afghanistan, and used attack drones to prevent militants from having a safe haven. Congress passed the Patriot Act to provide the government with unprecedented power to protect us. This letter is a simple reminder that both the United States and Israel have a common enemy that requires a strong defense until a comprehensive peace can be found.